Casper WY Action

WNY:

Sounds like Orin Jct. to me. The Orin Line passed over U.S. Highway 20 just east of I-25 and joined the Casper-Guernsey line at Bridger Jct. a few hundred yards from the North Platte River. On the Orin Line was Orin Jct. compass north from Rt. 20. This is where the CNW Crawford, NE-Casper, WY line left the Orin Line. Compass north of this (west via BN ETT) was Fisher Jct. This is where the CNW joined the Orin Line. West of Fisher Jct. was East Fisher. This is where double track ended on the Orin Line. Fisher Jct. to Bridger Jct. was the last segment of single track left on the Orin Line as of 2000 when I bid out of Gillette. So, what you noted makes sense: BNSF is finally double tracking that last piece of single track.

Bill, WY? What fun. Was on a work train there for a month or so, M/1990s. They laid us up at the CNW bunk house. We tied our little work train down on the back track off track 6 in Bill yard. About every morning I had to move a CNW hopper train to clear the west back track switch, after receiving permission do do so from the Bill yardmaster. Then I had to taxi back to our train, move it out on the west lead and then taxi back and reposition the CNW train. UP SD90MACs if I recall correctly. Always a hassle.

Looking out of the Bill bunk house window early in the morning sorta reminded me of being on Wake Island. Except instead of the vast, empty Pacific Ocean it was the vast, empty plains of Wyoming being observed.

You'll be happy to know that there is now a regular hotel in Bill. I supposed the CNW crew house was there someplace, but I didn't see it.

Wake up a few mornings ready to repel a hoarde of Japanese Cowboys did ya?

Back home safe now is the run-down northeast.

Denver to Buffalo - hands down - roughest track was CSX from Cleveland. NS has got theirstuff together, and BNSF is downright nuts...they must be swimming in money. Just sweet track all the way.

Apparently the same BDW from Shoshoni and Casper is going to do another rail park in Cheyenne as well. Maybe it's over by the refinery...I didn't see it either. Gotta git my resume' in to that outfit. Got clearance from the war department to work wherever I want, as long as the money keeps comin' in. Maybe I'll try Canada.

That's love, eh?

Here's a few websites you'll be interested in. First is the BD&W website: http://www.bdwrail.com
Also the owner Bonneville Transloader's website: http://www.bonntran.com

On the BD&W site, they mention that as Wyoming grows, so will BD&W. I can't find anything on the net about a future operation in Cheyenne, nor has BD&W filed with the STB to run the new Casper spur. (Is all the old C&NW at Casper gone?)

BDW may serve an industrial park by Upton: http://billingsgazette.net/articles/200 ... -upton.txt

Concerning the new Casper operation: http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/arti ... 2675e3.txt

Perhaps they should get trackage rights all the way to Orin Jct. to interchange with UP (and kinda sorta restore the CNW's reach out there).

I also found places where it seemed like the owner was talking about rebuilding the old Wyoming & North Western to Riverton, since rail is cheaper than truck. Here's an example from nationalcorridors.org a couple years ago. It says: [Owner Cliff Root] sees another opportunity for his short line - go into the Wind River Indian Reservation which is rich in minerals but in an area that has no rail transportation.

Sounds like the Casper operation should be up and running by the time I go through there this summer. That adds some opportunities . . .

The Riverton rail extension also sounds interesting. Would they be likely to take the rail all the way up to Lander?

WNY:

Heard just a few days ago that Bill, WY now sports a motel. Now that is progress. The only business in Bill previously was the store/gas station/post office.

The CNW crew quarters and restaurant were west of the rail line on the compass west side of the yard, about opposite of the Bill store. Access was by a private road which went through a tunnel under the yard.

No hordes of Japanese cowboys around Bill, merely hordes of pronghorn antelope that presented no danger, except to the vegetation, what vegetation there was.

A few years back (and I mean a few, back when "Pacific Rail News" was still around), I remember PRN talking about how someone wanted to rebuild to Lander and then build all the way to Green River/Rock Springs. I think that idea died, but perhaps Mr. Root was referring to that. What was that whole plan about?